Weekly QuikSCAT

Weekly gridded QSCAT sea wind and derived products

The microwave scaterometer (QuikSCAT) flown on QuikBird satellite measures back scatter radiation in Ku-band (~ 14 GHz). The return signal power is proportional to surface stress over the ocean and that can be related to surface wind vector (u and v components) at 10 m height assuming neutral stratification. In addition to u and v components, average wind speed and surface pseudostress vector are provided. The data are remapped to 1/4 degree lat/lon map. Original data as processed by Remote Sensing System were obtained from www.ssmi.com site. If you use the data please cite : QuikScat data are produced by Remote Sensing Systems and sponsored by the NASA Ocean Vector Winds Science Team. Data are available at www.remss.com.

Variables
U pseudo stress component (m/s)*(m/s), U wind component (m/s), V pseudo stress component (m/s)*(m/s), V wind component (m/s), Surface wind speed (m/s)
ZonalGlobal by 0.25 deg
MeridionalGlobal by 0.25 deg
VerticalSurface
TemporalAug 1999 to Mar 26, 2008 by 1 week
Static?no
Volume 
ServerDODS & LAS; public
Sourcehttp://www.ssmi.com/qscat/qscat_description.html
AcquiredJan 1, 2005 (updated Apr 2008)
APDRC contactJan Hafner
SupplementsN/A